Fear of Failure: Negative Sovereignty and the Birth of State Failure -- The Causes and Consequences of State Failure -- Identifying Failed States -- Failure to promote human flourishing -- The spread and spread of the concept of state failure -- Conclusions -- The Enemy Within: Insurgency and the Failure of the Nigerian State -- The Ways and Extent of Nigeria's Failure -- Boko Haram -- The MEND -- Failure to Control -- Failure to Promote Human Flourishing -- Failure to Provide Security -- Failure to Provide Healthcare and Education -- The Dangers of Disintegration -- Conclusions -- The Emperor's New Clothes? Federalism, the Decline of Old Loyalties and the Rise of New Jealousies -- The Post-independence Background to Federalism -- The Function of Federalism -- 'Not a Nation': Federalism and the Preservation of Difference -- A Spur to Ethnic Tensions -- Damage to National Unity -- Damage to Political Rights -- Corruption -- Out of Many Came Forth One: Federalism and the Quest for Unity -- Conclusions -- Fuel to the Flames: Oil and Political Violence in Contemporary Nigeria -- Oil and its Lubrication of Nigeria's Failure -- Damage to the Economy -- Damage to the Environment -- Corruption -- Damage to Democracy -- Failure to Promote Human Flourishing and the Spread of Armed Violence -- Secessionism -- On Troubled Waters: Oil and its Contribution to Nigeria's Unity -- Conclusions -- Of the People but for the People? Nigeria and its Armed Forces -- The Legacy and Reputation of Nigeria's Armed Forces -- The Armed Forces' Contribution to Nigeria's Failure -- A Failure to Defend -- The Abuse of Human Rights -- The Armed Forces' Efforts to Prevent Nigeria's Failure -- Maintaining and Preserving Security -- Strengthening Public Participation and Trust in the Political Process -- Promoting Social Integration and Harmony.